This round costs almost as much as .45 but must need half of the raw materials (lead, powder, brass and small primers) to make. And 9mm is almost $.10 cheaper per round, although it takes more material to make.

I assume companies make more .45 and 9mm and the scale is what affects the consumer price, but still that's a lot of cash for such a small round.

For you reloaders what does it cost to make a round of .380? What I have seen are load charts with 3-4 grains of powder.

As in most things, price is not determined by cost of manufacture but rather by demand and what the market will bear. The relative scarcity of 380 ( because not as much is being manufactured and distributed) is what I suspect drives the price difference.

when it comes to production you have to figure taxes, labor costs, utilities, insurance, rent/mortgage, administration costs, office supplies, manufacturing supplies, maintenance, groundskeeping, equipment costs and depreciation, shipping, advertising (box art is advertising as well), all these these things are MUCH bigger cost drivers than raw materials. im sure im leaving some things out as well.

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"Gun control: The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her panty hose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound."  L. Neil Smith

The problem with being stupid is you cannot simply decide to stop doing dumb things...

Ammo manufacturers have a limited number of loading machines. Most machines can be broken down and converted to load a different caliber. They are leaving machines "up and running" 24/7 in 9, 40 and 45 because that is what the people want the most of. Government contracts for these calibers make it cost ineffective to change calibers. They can sell a million rounds of 9mm a month, but losing a day of production to load .380 (or .41 Mag or .44-40, etc) just cuts into valuable production time in the "popular" calibers.

I saw some .41 Mag at Academy last week. Remington 210 gr SP. I have not seen any .41 in years. I had to ask...$75 a box! No thanks.

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In life, strive to take the high road....It offers a better field of fire.
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